Africa-Press – Angola. The Angolan Executive is reinforcing measures to combat vandalism of public property and illegal mining of minerals, the Minister of State and head of the Military Office of the President of the Republic, Francisco Furtado, announced on Thursday in Luanda.
The government official was speaking to the press at the end of a meeting led by the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, with the governors of the country’s 21 provinces.
According to Francisco Furtado, the Executive requested the National Assembly to urgently consider a new proposed law on vandalism.
He explained that the meeting analyzed the worsening of acts of vandalism of public and private equipment, as well as the expansion of illegal gold and diamond mining in several regions of the country.
He mentioned that the Executive concluded the public consultation process to review the legislation on vandalism, after the previous law was invalidated by the STF.
The new proposal was approved by the Council of Ministers and sent to parliament as a matter of urgency.
Among the ongoing measures, he highlighted the closure of more than 1,600 weighing houses, considered to encourage the practice of vandalism, mainly against infrastructure in the energy and water sectors.
The minister defended greater involvement of local administrations and communities, with awareness and reporting actions, as well as the effective implementation of the law on community surveillance councils.
He also pointed out weaknesses in the justice system, remembering that some citizens detained for vandalism are released within a short period of time and reoffend, defending greater coordination with the courts.
Data presented indicates that the province of Luanda accounts for 54 percent of the cases of vandalism recorded in the country, followed by Icolo and Bengo, with four percent, while the other provinces represent 40 percent.
Illegal mining worries Executive
Regarding illegal mining, the government official expressed concern about the expansion of the activity in provinces such as Cabinda, Huambo, Huíla, Cunene, Bié, Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul, with emphasis on the increase in gold exploration in several municipalities.
Francisco Furtado warned of the consequences of the practice, including the spread of diseases, such as cholera, and the occurrence of fatal accidents caused by landslides.
The meeting aimed to mobilize provincial governments for a more active intervention in the prevention, reporting and referral of cases to the competent authorities, within the scope of strengthening policies to protect public assets and national resources.
